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Back roads That Are Perfect For The Fall Foliage Season
A new favorite back road to see fall foliage
by Jeff "Foliage" Folger
Marblehead 4th of July Fireworks as onlookers climb onto the rocks at low tide.
The Quechee Balloon festival is one of many in New England during the summer. Check out the Yankee website to find more.
I wonder what's around the next bend and so I travel farther on...
Sassafras leaves in the afternoon sun.
If I move Just a little further I can see around the next bend... Enjoy from Vistaphotography
I hope everyone had a wonderful Independence Day (for my stateside readers). I have to say, this is as hot a summer, as I've seen. Are you having a little trouble thinking about fall with all this heat? Me too but it's coming...
I talked with Gale Ross from the Department of Conservation for Maine and she says that if the current temps and rain fall continue we'll in good shape for a wonderful fall!!!
Back roads are for finding fall colors.
The joy of my job is that I have to explore to do it. If I notice on the map that a road veers off only to reconnect a mile or five down, I'll take it to see what is there. Sometimes it's only a subdivision (Boooo) but sometimes it's a road to adventure with endless possibilities.
(you never know what's around the next bend)
I love to try out roads that are in our own back yards. All too often folks will stay on the main road because that's the quickest until they are forced by a detour to take a side road. There's nothing wrong with this unless of course you are on the prowl for fall colors. So forcing yourself out of those comfortable driving patterns is the key.
Here is a test; how many alternate routes to work or your favorite grocery store do you know? (Substitute your location of choice and leave a comment below)
Rule #1, if the sign says (any-town, your choice) and "Old Main Road" then I hope you aren't in my way because I will veer off on it to explore.
Some of these roads have been duds but some, if not most of them, have been delicious visual experiences.
I was heading to the Quechee balloon festival last month (photo at right) and had to bypass the Woodstock exit on 89 since the traffic was backed up onto the highway. So I went 11 miles further to the Sharon exit. (Next week I'll tell you what I found there!! So stay tuned)
I took the road less traveled (route 14) and came upon the "Old Quechee Main road". So I veered off onto this "side" road for 5-6 miles, winding my way past houses, barns and fields, generally enjoying the drive.
I arrived right at the parking area for the festival without any of the traffic hassles of going through town and much happier for it. And best yet I had found yet another route that, come this fall, will be very interesting to see all dressed up for fall foliage leaf peeping.
My lesson learned? The best routes aren't always the most direct and always take your time to explore.
Jeff "Foliage" Folger
Want a little something to start your fall foliage craving Check out this video on You tube
Are you starting to look for ideas for your autumn fall travels? Then stay with me here as I wind my way through fall and all of New England.
If you are a facebook-aholic try www.facebook.com/YankeeFoliage to chat with folks who love the fall colors just like you. As always you can visit the Yankee forum by clicking here.
I, of course am never far away and you can find me prowling the foliage forum at Yankee or the Facebook foliage page.
If you have an immediate need you can reach me at jeff.foliage@gmail.com and I will do my best to answer but since I don't have anyone to answer my emails your wait time for an answer will vary.
Either way, I look forward to chatting with all of you this season!
Reader Comments
Comment from Mary Jo Mappe on July 12, 2010
Jeff, loved the video... we really enjoyed it. It was great, and it sure flung a craving on me for New England in the Fall, which I guess was your intention. As I sit here in this Texas heat, I\'m trying to decide if that was a kind thing to do or a mean one. :) Well, I guess I will lean toward it being the kind thing to do, since we all seem to love to post what we remember from past falls and what we\'re looking forward to this fall. Oh my goodness, it certainly got my eyes ready to see those colorful leaves on the trees and my ears ready to hear those fallen leaves crunch beneath my feet.
Enjoyed the blog also. I am anxious for the next part about what you found new. Where was the bottom photo taken? That is exactly the kind of roads that we like.
Mary Jo
Comment from Mary Jo Mappe on July 12, 2010
Well, isn\'t that weird that it put a back slash (along with the apostrophe) in the places where I used an apostrophe? I am sure I didn\'t do that myself. Wonder what is going on with all this messed up posting stuff.
Mary Jo
Comment from Jeff Folger on July 13, 2010
Well the bottom photo is from a trip to Maine out near Rangely lake.. I\'d have a hard time locating it again sine I was on tons of little back roads around the lake. I didn\'t know that this posting software would add a slash after the apostrophe\'s. If it does it here I\'ll let the boys and girls in the web dept know about it... either way I know what you mean...
Comment from Mary Jo Mappe on July 14, 2010
Well, I know what you mean about back roads and not being able to find them again. We have been on a few like that also. lol We have been in that Rangely Lake area several times. A couple of times we have driven Route 17 and that is a great view from the Height of Land looking down over those lakes. Actually, I think I go up there to that area because I just like saying Mooselookmeguntic. lol
Many years ago, I saw my first moose somewhere around that area, and it was dead on a flat bed truck. Our friends got out of the car and went to look at it, but I said that I didn\'t want my first moose to be a dead one, so I wouldn\'t look. :) It was many years later before I was to see my first and only live moose. He was standing right by the side of the road in a marsh-like pond. That was in New Hampshire on U.S.302 on our way back to North Woodstock after driving the Kancamagus Highway, etc. We have driven all those roads in northern Vermont and New Hampshire many times, where they say that moose are out and out common, but we have never seen another one.
Mary Jo
Comment from Mary Jo Mappe on July 14, 2010
Well, I see that it is still adding a slash with the apostrophe. Go figure!
Comment from Jeff Folger on July 14, 2010
Well I\'ll test the waters and try a post with special\'s on the words and see if the back slashes haunt me also...
Comment from Jeff Folger on July 14, 2010
Nope just you!! :-)
Comment from Vera Pell on July 25, 2010
I\'m heading that way myself in Oct - love it every year. I\'m in Oklahoma and I need my \"nature\" fix. It\'s wonderful. We fly into Albany, NY and take day trips out to VT, MA and Montreal. It\'s so beautiful!
Comment from Jeff Folger on August 27, 2010
Well Vera I lived in OK for 13 yrs and while I didn\'t mind my time there I couldn\'t wait to get back to New England
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